| trouble | 1. To put into confused motion; to disturb; to agitate. "An angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water." (John v. 4) "God looking forth will trouble all his host." (Milton) 2. To disturb; to perplex; to afflict; to distress; to grieve; to fret; to annoy; to vex. "Now is my soul troubled." (John xii. 27) "Take the boy to you; he so troubles me 'T is past enduring." (Shak) "Never trouble yourself about those faults which age will cure." (Locke) 3. To give occasion for labour to; used in polite phraseology; as, I will not trouble you to deliver the letter. 1. The state of being troubled; disturbance; agitation; uneasiness; vexation; calamity. "Lest the fiend . . . Some new trouble raise." (Milton) "Foul whisperings are abroad; unnatural deeds Do breed unnatural troubles." (Shak) 2. That which gives disturbance, annoyance, or vexation; that which afflicts. 3. <chemical> A fault or interruption in a stratum. To get into trouble, to get into difficulty or danger. To take the trouble, to be at the pains; to exert one's self; to give one's self inconvenience. "She never took the trouble to close them." (Bryant) Synonym: To disturb, perplex, afflict, distress, grieve, harass, annoy, tease, vex, molest, affliction, disturbance, perplexity, annoyance, molestation, vexation, inconvenience, calamity, misfortune, adversity, embarrassment, anxiety, sorrow, misery. Origin: F. Troubler, OF. Trobler, trubler, tourbler,fr. (assumed) LL. Turbulare, L. Turbare to disorderly group, a little crowd; both from turba a disorder, tumult, crowd; akin to Gr, and perhaps to E. Thorp; cf. Skr. Tvar, tur,o hasten. Cf. Turbid. (28 Oct 1998) |
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